Installing the Handylink Pro System
Step 1 - Planning your System
To avoid wasting time and cable, don’t start work until you are sure about your system layout. Always try to minimize
the length of cable runs as the longer the run, the greater the signal loss. The Base Unit must be situated near to
the main VCR/DVD recorder/Sky+™ box (and satellite receiver, if used). This normally means in the lounge or living
room, on a wall or skirting board behind the main TV set. The Distribution Unit can be installed in any convenient
place, to suit the cabling, and is usually hidden from view. The roof space (loft or attic) is often a convenient location,
especially if you are installing outlet points in bedrooms. Other possibilities include the under-stairs cupboard, or
a cellar. An airing cupboard can also be used, if the temperature is less than 40C. (The Distribution Unit can also be
placed alongside the Base Unit, if desired.)
Up to four Room Outlets can be installed wherever required. Flush outlet plates or surface mounted outlet boxes
(not included) can be used for a more professional appearance (any aerial outlets used must be non-isolated). The
main system diagram shows outlet options. If you are using the FM radio distribution option, remember that FM is
not present at the MAIN TV outlet of the Base Unit. If you want a separate FM point in the lounge or living room, one
of the four outlets from the Distribution Unit should be used for the purpose.
Step 2 - Installing the Cables
All system wiring is carried out in coaxial cable. Good quality, well screened coaxial cable should be used throughout
the system. We recommend the use of type PF100 or CT100 cable (available from your local TV aerial or satellite TV
stockist). This is double screened cable approved for use with digital TV and Satellite systems. Use of inferior quality
may cause signal loss, especially on longer cable runs. The wiring of an older TV distribution system may be re-used,
if appropriate, provided that it is of good quality and in satisfactory condition.
Cable runs are required as follows:
TV aerial to satellite box/Freeview™ box/VCR/DVD recorder - t
his will usually be in place already.
FM aerial to Distribution Unit -
this is only required if you wish to distribute FM radio signals on the system.
Base Unit to Distribution Unit
- this run should not exceed 20m.
Distribution Unit to room outlets
- each room outlet must have a separate cable run from the Distribution Unit. These
runs should be kept as short as possible and not exceed 30m.
Installation - Step by Step
See the system diagram below. To avoid risk of electric shock in the event that any of your TV equipment
has a safety fault, we strongly recommend that you do not connect your TV’s, VCR, DVD or satellite receiver
to the system until all installation work has been completed. If any appliances are connected they should be
unplugged from the mains whilst work is in progress.
ANT
TV
TV
ANT
LNB
FM
Remote
Receiver
TV Coupler
FM Aerial
Distribution
Unit
Satellite Dish
UHF Aerial
Main
TV
Base Unit
Satellite
Receiver
VCR/DVD
Recorder
FM Tuner
Sender
Buttons
Installing the Handylink Pro System
Any of the usual cable installation methods can be used, depending on your level of skill. Some methods are listed
below. Most installations will involve a mixture of some of these.Run on a surface and secured with cable clips. - Run
in ‘mini-trunking’ on the surface. - Plastered into walls (no special impact precautions are necessary). - Run under
floorboards and in building voids. - Run on the outside of the building.
It may be convenient to run cable on the surface initially, and to hide it at a later date - when a room is redecorated,
for instance.
Observe the following precautions: Handle coaxial cable with care to avoid crushing it. - Avoid sharp bends
wherever possible. - Always use a ‘drip loop’ at the bottom of an outdoor vertical run to reduce the risk of rainwater
entering the building. Keep the wiring of your Handylink PRO system at least 50mm (2 inches) away from mains
wiring.(This does not apply in a trunking system with rigidly divided compartments.)
Step 3 - Fixing and Connecting the Distribution Unit
The Distribution Unit should now be fixed to a suitable surface. It can
be mounted with the cables entering either horizontally from the left
or right, or vertically from below. Very little heat is generated in the
Distribution Unit and there are no mounting restrictions or ventilation
requirements. To secure the Unit proceed as follows: Loosen the two
securing screws from the polished cover strip and remove the cover.
Offer the Unit up to the fixing surface and mark through the two fixing
holes. If fixing to a masonry wall, drill 6mm for the wall plugs provided.
On a timber surface drill pilot holes or use a bradawl. Replace the unit
and fix with the screws provided.
The cables can now be connected. The Distribution Unit uses saddle
and clamp terminals. Strip the cables and connect as shown in the
diagrams. Take care that stray strands of braid wire do not cause
short-circuits.Take care to connect the cables to the correct
terminals - FM IN for the FM aerial (if used), LINE IN for the cable
from the Base Unit and OUT for the four room feeds. All four OUT’s
are the same and can be connected in any order, If you are installing
fewer than four remote outlets simply leave some of the OUT’s
unconnected.Replace the front cover strip.
Step 4 - Room Installations
At each room outlet the simplest option is to fit a coax plug to
the end of the cable running from the Distribution Unit. This is
then plugged directly into the TV (via the coupler if a remote
control extension is being used) or the FM receiver. Alternatively,
the use of screened wall outlet plates will enhance your system
and give a more professional appearance. You can also install
one or more diplexed outlets to enable one outlet to serve both
a TV and a FM receiver. Outlet plates and coax plugs are not
included in the Handylink PRO kit, make sure you use non
isolated plates for single connections to the remote eye coupler.
Step 5 - Fixing the Base Unit
Next secure the Base Unit to a wall or skirting board using the
mounting bracket provided. Choose a location where all the
cables will reach, including the Sender Buttons (see
Commissioning Remote Control Extension on page ?).
The Base Unit also needs to be within reach of a mains socket, but
don’t plug it in yet. Detach the mounting bracket from the bottom
of the base unit, position the bracket to the fixing surface and mark
positions of screw holes. Allow sufficient space under the unit for
the mains and Sender cables. If fixing to a masonry wall, drill 6mm
for the wall plugs provided. Take care to avoid cables or pipes in
the wall. On a timber surface drill pilot holes or use a bradawl. Use
the screws provided fix the bracket to the wall and firmly push the
Base Unit on to it.
WARNING:
do not leave the Base Unit resting
on a carpet, and do not cover it with curtains, etc. which could
restrict ventilation and cause overheating.
Unit fixing screws
Saddle Clamp
Connections
Unit fixing screws
central
terminal braid
clamp
braid
centre
wire
5mm
10mm
8mm
1
2
3
4
5
1.
Unscrew coax plug housing
and slide cap over cable.
2.
Strip 23mm of outer sheath.
Gather braid, wrap around
outer sheath, slide claw over
braid and crimp.
3.
Strip 18mm of inner insula-
tion to leave 5mm exposed.
4.
Undo screw on plug/clamp,
slide clamp over inner wire
& tighten screw.
5.
Reassemble plug and trim
inner wire flush with plug.
Wiring Coax Plugs
Commissioning the Remote Control Extension
Before testing the remote control extension facility The sender buttons need
to be positioned near your VCR/DVD/Sky+™, satellite receiver (and any other
equipment that you wish to control from a remote room). The sender has 3
small ‘’buttons” which re-emit infra-red commands coming from remote rooms.
Position the buttons near the IR sensors on the front of your VCR/DVD/Satellite
receiver or other AV equipment which you wish to control. Do not stick the
buttons in place yet, as you may need to move them around during the tests
which follow. Run the Sender wires discreetly back to the Base Unit. Running
the wires underneath the equipment will usually be best. Plug the jack plug
into either of the SENDER sockets on the Base Unit. If only one or two buttons are used (i.e. you are only controlling
one or two pieces of equipment), coil up the surplus wire and tuck the second and/or third button out of sight.
DO NOT CUT THE EXTRA BUTTONS OFF AS THIS WILL STOP THE SYSTEM WORKING!
Installing the Handylink Pro System
Step 6 - Connecting the Base Unit
Now make the signal connections to the Base Unit: Locate the
fly lead which currently runs from the output socket of your
AV equipment to the main TV. Unplug this from the TV and
plug it into the SAT/VCR in socket of the Base Unit. Use the fly
lead provided in the kit to connect the MAIN TV socket of the
Base Unit to the aerial socket of the main TV. Connect the line
cable (the one which goes off to the Distribution Unit) to the
LINE OUT socket of the Base Unit. You will need to fit a coax
plug (not supplied) to the end of the cable first.
Alternatively, for a neater installation, the line cable can be
wired to an outlet plate mounted near the Base Unit and a fly
lead (not supplied) used to link it
to the Base Unit LINE OUT socket.
Step 7 - Commissioning and testing your system
The majority of the installation work is now complete. It is
important to commission and test the system thoroughly to
make sure that it is working correctly.
Testing the Distribution System
The first step is to ensure that the signal distribution system
is working. Only then proceed to check the remote control
extension facility. When all connections have been made, plug
the Base Unit into the mains and switch on. Note that the
LED on the Base Unit is not a power-on indicator and will not
light up at this stage. Check that the red LED indicator on the
Distribution Unit is alight. Check that the main TV, and other
connected AV equipment are all working as before. Check that
good pictures are obtained on all the TVs in other rooms - the
remote TVs. These TVs should already be tuned-in to the off-air
channels (BBC, TV, C4 and C5 if receivable in your area) unless
they are new sets. If the system is working correctly, pictures
on the remote TVs will be just as good as on the main TV.
Base Unit
Sender
Buttons
TVs will need tuning to the VCR and satellite output channels. To do this, first activate the VCR/DVD recorder by
inserting a recorded tape/DVD and selecting play. Tune each remote TV in turn on a free channel position for best
picture and sound quality (refer to TV handbook for tuning instructions). (Note that some, mostly older, TVs need a
dedicated channel button to be used for the VCR channel.) Stop the tape/DVD when tuning is completed, and return
the VCR to standby mode. If you have a satellite receiver select a satellite channel and repeat the tuning process
on the remote TVs (after selecting a different free channel position). Now check that interference-free reception is
available with both VCR/DVD and satellite outputs present at the same time. If interference is experienced, retune
the VCR/DVD to a different channel (see VCR/DVD handbook) and try again, after retuning the VCR/DVD channel
position on all TVs. Ignore this step if you don’t have a satellite receiver. If you are using the FM facility, check that
good radio reception is obtained on all connected tuners or receivers.
Red LED on
Distribution
Unit
ANT
TV
TV
ANT
LNB
FM
Remote
Receiver
TV Coupler
FM Aerial
Distribution
Unit
Satellite Dish
UHF Aerial
Main
TV
Base Unit
Satellite
Receiver
VCR/DVD
Recorder
FM Tuner
Sender
Buttons